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Professional Services

December 22, 2008

Knowing what a policy covers is imperative, says insurer

While insurance is indispensable for construction projects, just having coverage isn’t enough, says a leading provider of insurance services.

December 8, 2008

Streu and Hirst: How to calculate the enforceable amount of a claim of lien

What amounts can a contractor, subcontracto or worker lien for? Like many Builders Lien Act questions, the answer is not as straightforward as it may first appear.

December 3, 2008

PPP Canada plans to make municipal infrastructure projects its first priority

Municipalities are the final uncharted frontier for public-private partnerships in Canada and the newly founded federal P3 office intends to focus its efforts in that area.

November 24, 2008

Global economic crisis hits Calgary’s Bow office tower

The financial arrangements for the $1.2 billion Bow building in Calgary may have fallen through as a result of the current global economic crisis.

November 17, 2008

EarthFirst Canada obtains creditor protection related to Dokie wind energy project

The global financial crisis has forced the Dokie wind energy project in northeast B.C. to seek court protection, in order to hold off creditors who are looking to recover $131 million in debt.

November 10, 2008

Permit deadline passes for Sky Towers development

The global credit crunch has created a serious problem for the Sky Towers development in Surrey, B.C., after the developer was unable to secure financing for the project and missed a deadline for crucial permits.

November 10, 2008

Streu & Hirst: Sage advice for contractors facing the new economic reality

It has been one hell of a party, but unfortunately the music has stopped and the construction industry is abruptly facing a new reality, writes Norm Streu, Executive Vice-President and General Counsel of the LMS Reinforcing Steel Group, and Chris Hirst, partner and the leader of the Construction & Engineering Group, Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang LLP.

November 3, 2008

Carefully consider express wording of Request for Proposal documents, expert warns

Although requests for proposals (RFPs) are gaining increasing favour with owners, care needs to be taken to avoid unnecessary drama and exposure to unintended risks, says an Edmonton lawyer.

October 20, 2008

Norm Streu and Chris Hirst: Seven types of land excluded under the B.C. Builders Lien Act

The primary purpose of lien legislation is to secure payment for those involved in construction projects.

October 13, 2008

Bombardier Transportation will showcase streetcars at Vancouver 2010 Winter Games

The city of Vancouver is reviewing tenders for a project that will bring the streetcar back to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

January 22, 2007

Finding insurance coverage

What insurance coverage does a contractor really have under a standard policy?

January 22, 2007

Calgary construction companies collaborate

PCL, Graham, EllisDon, Ledcor, Cana, Stuart Olson and Revay and Associates have joined forces with the Calgary Construction Association and the Canadian Construction Research Board to fund a $1.1 million Construction Productivity Improvement research project at the University of Calgary.

January 22, 2007

Non-compliance a sticking point

In 1981, the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Ontario v. Ron Engineering changed the legal landscape of invitations to tender.

January 22, 2007

APEGBC issues second set of earthquake guidelines

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) has issued in November 2006 its second set of Bridging Guidelines for earthquake-proofing British Columbia schools, an initiative that has been set forward by the British Columbia government.

January 22, 2007

Architects still want solution to liability issues

The professional liability insurance (PLI) issue that posed a crisis for British Columbia architects only a few years ago has eased but it is far from over, says Barry Weih, chairman of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia’s (AIBC) insurance committee.

January 22, 2007

Industry welcomes changes

Representatives of industry groups are welcoming the latest version of the B.C. Building Code, though they acknowledge the transition to the new objective-based approach will take time.

January 22, 2007

Rainscreen requirement tops building code changes

A change in its basis and a new format are complicating the transition to B.C.’s new building code.

January 22, 2007

Business isn't done on a handshake any more

When is a letter not a letter? In some construction industry contracts, a letter is not deemed to be a communication if it’s an e-mail and in today’s digital realm that’s a puzzle for lawyer Lori Roth, of Cassells Brocks who specializes in construction law.

January 22, 2007

Calgary's Deerfoot Trail to have Alberta's first post-and-cable barrier safety system

Imagine the pressure. You have to design the first post and cable barrier system in Alberta—the first significant installation in Canada—while the media howls for blood because of the blood being spilled on Calgary’s Deerfoot Trail.